Polygyny – Port-Rope

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Polygyny

POLYG'YNY, noun [Gr. many, and a female.]

The practice of having more wives than one at the same time.

Polyhalite

POLYHA'LITE, noun [Gr. many, and salt.] A mineral or salt occurring in masses of a fibrous structure, of a brick red color, being tinged with iron. It contains sulphates of lime, of magnesia, of potash and of soda.

Polyhedral

POLYHE'DRAL

POLYHE'DRON, noun [Gr. many, and side.]

1. In geometry, a body or solid contained under many sides or planes.

2. In optics, a multiplying glass or lens consisting of several plane surfaces disposed in a convex form.

Polyhedron

POLYHE'DRON, n. [Gr. many, and side.] 1. In geometry, a body or solid contained under many sides or planes.2. In optics, a multiplying glass or lens consisting of several plane surfaces disposed in a convex form.

Polyhedrous

POLYHE'DROUS, adjective [See Polyhedron.] Having many sides; as a solid body.

Polylogy

POLYL'OGY, noun [Gr. many, and discourse.]

A talking much; talkativeness; garrulity. [Not in use.]

Polymathic

POLYMATH'IC, adjective [See Polymathy.] Pertaining to polymathy.

Polymathy

POLYM'ATHY, noun [Gr.many, and learning; to learn.] The knowledge of many arts and sciences; acquaintance with many branches of learning or with various subjects.

Polymnite

POL'YMNITE, noun [stone of many marshes.] A stone marked with dendrites and black lines, and so disposed as to represent rivers, marshes and ponds.

Polymorph

POL'YMORPH, noun [Gr. many and form.] A name given by Soldani to a numerous tribe or series of shells, which are very small, irregular and singular in form, and which cannot be referred to any known genus.

Polymorphous

POLYMORPH'OUS, adjective [supra.] Having many forms.

Polyneme

POL'YNEME, noun A fish having a scaly compressed head, with a blunt prominent nose, and pliform appendages to the pectoral fins.

Polynesia

POLYNE'SIA, noun s as z. [Gr. many and isle.] A new term in geography, used to designate a great number of isles in the Pacific ocean, as the Pelew isles, the Ladrones, the Carolinas, the Sandwich isles, the Marquesas, the Society isles and the Friendly isles.

Polynesian

POLYNE'SIAN, adjective Pertaining to Polynesia.

Polynome

POL'YNOME, noun [Gr. many and name.] In algebra, a quantity consisting of many terms.

Polynomial

POLYNO'MIAL, adjective Containing many names or terms.

Polyonomous

POLYON'OMOUS, adjective [Gr. many and name.]

Having many names or titles; many-titled.

Polyonomy

POLYON'OMY, noun [supra.] Variety of different names.

Polyoptrum

POLYOP'TRUM, . noun [Gr. many and to see.] A glass through which objects appear multiplied.

Polype

POL'YPE

POLYPET'ALOUS, adjective [Gr. many and a petal.] In botany, having many petals; as a polypetalous corol.

Polypetalous

POLYPET'ALOUS, a. [Gr. many and a petal.] In botany, having many petals; as a polypetalous corol.

Polyphonic

POLYPHON'IC, adjective [infra.] Having or consisting of many voices or sounds.

Polyphonism

POLYPH'ONISM

POLYPH'ONY, noun [Gr. many and sound.] Multiplicity of sounds, as in the reverberations of an echo.

Polyphony

POLYPH'ONY, n. [Gr. many and sound.] Multiplicity of sounds, as in the reverberations of an echo.

Polyphyllous

POLYPH'YLLOUS, adjective [Gr. many and leaf.] In botany, many-leafed; as a polyphyllous calyx or perianth.

Polypier

POL'YPIER, noun The name given to the habitations of polypes, or to the common part of those compound animals called polypes.

Polypite

POL'YPITE, noun Fossil polype.

Polypode

POL'YPODE, noun [Gr.] An animal having many feet; the milleped or wood-louse.

Polypody

POLYP'ODY, noun [Latin polypodium, from the Greek. See Polype.]

A plant of the genus Polypodium, of the order of Filices or ferns. The fructifications are in roundish points, scattered over the inferior disk of the frons or leaf. There are numerous species, of which the most remarkable is the common male fern.

Polypous

POL'YPOUS, adjective [from polypus.] Having the nature of the polypus; having many feet or roots, like the polypus; as a polypous concretion.

Polypus

POL'YPUS, noun [Gr. many and foot.]

1. Something that has many feet or roots.

2. In zoology, a species of fresh water insect, belonging to the genus Hydra and order of zoophytes. Of this animal it is remarkable, that if cut into pieces, each part will shoot out a new head and tail and become a distinct animal. The general character of this animal is, it fixes itself by its base, is gelatinous, linear, naked, contractile, and capable of changing place.

The common name of all those small gelatinous animals, whose mouth is surrounded by tentacula or feelers, (whence the name, )

and conducts to a simple stomach, or one followed by intestines in the form of vessels. They constitute a distinct class or order of zoophytes, and include those compound animals, with a fixed and solid stem, which were formerly regarded as marine plants.

3. A concretion of blood in the heart and blood vessels.

4. A tumor with a narrow base, somewhat resembling a pear;

found in the nose, uterus, etc.

Polyscope

POL'YSCOPE, noun [Gr. many and to view.] A glass which makes a single object appear as many.

Polyspast

POL'YSPAST, noun [Gr. many and to draw.] A machine consisting of many pulleys.

Polysperm

POL'YSPERM, noun [Gr. many and seed.] A tree whose fruit contains many seeds.

Polyspermous

POLYSPERM'OUS, adjective Containing many seeds; as a polyspermous capsule or berry.

Polysyllabic

POLYSYLLAB'IC

POLYSYLLAB'ICAL, adjective [from polysyllable.] Pertaining to a polysyllable; consisting of many syllables, or of more than three.

Polysyllabical

POLYSYLLAB'ICAL, a. [from polysyllable.] Pertaining to a polysyllable; consisting of many syllables, or of more than three.

Polysyllable

POL'YSYLLABLE, noun [Gr.many and a syllable.] A word of many syllables, that is, consisting of more syllables than three, for words of a less number than four are called monosyllables, dissyllables and trisyllables.

Polysyndeton

POLYSYN'DETON, noun [Gr. many and connecting.] A figure of rhetoric by which the copulative is often repeated; as, 'we have ships and men and money and stores.'

Polytechnic

POLYTECH'NIC, adjective [Gr.many and art.] Denoting or comprehending many arts; as a polytechnic school.

Polytheism

POL'YTHEISM, noun [Gr. many and God.] The doctrine of a plurality of gods or invisible beings superior to man, and having an agency in the government of the world.

Polytheist

POL'YTHEIST, noun A person who believes in or maintains the doctrine of a plurality of gods.

Polytheistic

POLYTHEIS'TIC

POLYTHEIS'TICAL, adjective Pertaining to polytheism; as polytheistic belief or worship.

1. Holding a plurality of gods; as a polytheistic writer.

Polytheistical

POLYTHEIS'TICAL, a. Pertaining to polytheism; as polytheistic belief or worship. 1. Holding a plurality of gods; as a polytheistic writer.

Pomace

POMACE, noun [from Latin pomum, an apple.] The substance of apples or of similar fruit crushed by grinding. In America, it is so called before and after being pressed. [See Pomp and Pommel.]

Pomaceous

POMA'CEOUS, adjective Consisting of apples; as pomaceous harvests.

1. Like pomace.

Pomade

POMA'DE, noun Perfumed ointment. [Little used.]

Pomander

PO'MANDER, noun A sweet ball; a perfumed ball or powder.

Pomatum

POMA'TUM, noun An unguent or composition used in dressing the hair. It is also used in medicine.

POMA'TUM, verb transitive To apply pomatum to the hair.

Pome

POME, noun [Latin pomum.] In botany, a pulpy pericarp without valves, containing a capsule or core, as the apple, pear, etc.

POME, verb intransitive To grow to a head, or form a head in growing. [Not used.]

Pome-Water

PO'ME-WATER, noun A sort of apple.

Pomecitron

POMECIT'RON, noun A citron apple.

Pomegranate

POMEGRAN'ATE, noun [Latin pomum, an apple, and granatum, grained. See Grain and Granate.]

1. The fruit of a tree belonging to the genus Punica. This fruit is as large as an orange, having a hard rind filled with a soft pulp and numerous seeds. It is of a reddish color.

2. The tree that produces pomegranates.

3. An ornament resembling a pomegranate on the robe and ephod of the Jewish high priest.

Pomegranate-Tree

POMEGRANATE-TREE, noun The tree which produces pomegranates.

Pomeroy

PO'MEROY

POMEROY'AL, noun Royal apple; a particular sort of apple.

Pomiferous

POMIF'EROUS, adjective [Latin pomum, an apple, and fero, to produce.]

Apple-bearing; an epithet applied to plants which bear the larger fruits, such as melons, gourds, pumpkins, cucumbers, etc. in distinction from the bacciferous or berry-bearing plants.

Pomme

POMME

POMMEL, noun [Latin pomum, an apple, or a similar fruit.]

1. A knob or ball. .

2. The knob on the hilt of a sword; the protuberant part of a saddle-bow; the round knob on the frame of a chair, etc.

POMMEL, verb transitive [from the noun.] To beat as with a pommel, that is, with something thick or bulky; to bruise.

[The French se pommeler, to grow dapple, to curdle, is from the same source; but the sense is to make knobs or lumps, and hence to variegate, or make spots like knobs. The Welsh have from the same root, or pwmp, a mass, pwmpiaw, to form a round mass, and to thump, to bang, Eng. to bump.]

Pommel

POMMEL, n. [L. pomum, an apple, or a similar fruit.] 1. A knob or ball. . The knob on the hilt of a sword; the protuberant part of a saddle-bow; the round knob on the frame of a chair, &c. POMMEL, v.t. [from the noun.] To beat as with a pommel, that is, with something thick or bulky; to bruise. [The French se pommeler, to grow dapple, to curdle, is from the same source; but the sense is to make knobs or lumps, and hence to variegate, or make spots like knobs. The Welsh have from the same root, or pwmp, a mass, pwmpiaw, to form a round mass, and to thump, to bang, Eng. to bump.]

Pommeled

POMMELED, participle passive Beaten; bruised.

1. In heraldry, having pommels; as a sword or dagger.

Pommelion

POMME'LION, noun [from pommel.] The cascabel or hindmost knob of a cannon.

Pommette

POMMETTE, noun In heraldry, a cross with one or more knobs at each of the ends.

Pomp

POMP, noun [Latin pompa; bombus; Eng. bomb, bombast.]

1. A procession distinguished by ostentation of grandeur and splendor; as the pomp of a Roman triumph.

2. Show of magnificence; parade; splendor.

Hearts formed for love, but doom'd in vain to glow

In prison'd pomp and weep in splendid woe.

Pompatic

POMPAT'IC, adjective [Low Latin pompaticus, pompatus.]

Pompous; splendid; ostentatious. [Not in use.]

Pompet

POMP'ET, noun The ball which printers use to black the types.

Pompholyx

POM'PHOLYX, noun [Latin from Gr. a tumor; a blast, a puff, a bubble, a pustule. See Pomp.] The white oxyd which sublimes during the combustion of zink; called flowers of zink. It rises and adheres to the dome of the furnace and the covers of crucibles.

Pompion

POMP'ION, noun [See Pomp and Pomace.] A pumpkin; a plant and its fruit of the genus Cucurbita.

Pompire

POM'PIRE, noun [Latin pomum, apple, and pyrus, pear.]

A sort of pearmain.

Pomposity

POMPOS'ITY, noun Pompousness; ostentation; boasting.

Pompous

POMP'OUS, adjective

1. Displaying pomp; showy with grandeur; splendid; magnificent; as a pompous procession; a pompous triumph.

2. Ostentatious; boastful; as a pompous account of private adventures.

Pompously

POMP'OUSLY, adverb With great parade or display; magnificently; splendidly; ostentatiously.

Pompousness

POMP'OUSNESS, noun The state of being pompous; magnificence; splendor; great display of show; ostentatiousness.

POM'-WATER, noun The name of a large apple.

Pomptine

POMP'TINE, adjective [Latin pontina, a lake.] Designating a large marsh between Rome and Naples.

Pond

POND, noun [Latin pono; pontus, the sea.]

1. A body of stagnant water without an outlet, larger than a puddle, and smaller than a lake; or a like body of water with a small outlet. In the United States, we give this name to collections of water in the interior country, which are fed by springs, and from which issues a small stream. These ponds are often a mile or two or even more in length, and the current issuing from them is used to drive the wheels of mills and furnaces.

2. A collection of water raised in a river by a dam, for the purpose of propelling mill-wheels. These artificial ponds are called mill-ponds.

POND for fist. [See Fish-pond.]

POND, verb transitive [from the noun.] To make a pond; to collect in a pond by stopping the current of a river.

POND, verb transitive To ponder. [Not in use.]

Pond-Weed

POND'-WEED, noun [pond and weed.] A plant of the genus Potamogeton. The triple-headed pond-weed is of the genus Zannichellia.

Ponder

PON'DER, verb transitive [Latin pondero, from pondo, pondus, a pound; pendeo, pendo, to weigh.]

1. To weigh in the mind; to consider and compare the circumstances or consequences of an event, or the importance of the reasons for or against a decision.

Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. .

2. To view with deliberation; to examine.

Ponder the path of thy feet. .

The Lord pondereth the hearts. .

To ponder on, is sometimes used, but is not be to countenanced.

Ponderable

PON'DERABLE, adjective That may be weighed; capable of being weighed.

Ponderal

PON'DERAL, adjective [from Latin pondus, weight.] Estimated or ascertained by weight, as distinguished from numeral; as a ponderal drachma.

Ponderance

PON'DERANCE, noun Weight; gravity.

Ponderate

PON'DERATE, verb transitive To weigh in the mind; to consider. [Not in use.]

Ponderation

PONDERA'TION, noun The act of weighing. [Little used.]

Pondered

PON'DERED, participle passive Weighed in the mind; considered; examined by intellectual operation.

Ponderer

PON'DERER, noun One that weighs in his mind.

Pondering

PON'DERING, participle present tense Weighing intellectually; considering; deliberating on.

Ponderingly

PON'DERINGLY, adverb With consideration or deliberation.

Ponderosity

PONDEROS'ITY, noun Weight; gravity; heaviness.

Ponderous

PON'DEROUS, adjective [Latin ponderosus.]

1. Very heavy; weighty; as a ponderous shield; a ponderous load.

2. Important; momentous; as a ponderous project. [This application of the word is unusual.]

3. Forcible; strongly impulsive; as a motion vehement or ponderous; a ponderous blow.

Ponderous spar, heavy spar, or baryte.

Ponderously

PON'DEROUSLY, adverb With great weight.

Ponderousness

PON'DEROUSNESS, noun Weight; heaviness; gravity.

Ponent

PO'NENT, adjective [Latin ponens, form pono, to set.]

Western; as the ponent winds. [Little used.]

Pongo

PON'GO, noun A name of the orang outang.

The name pongo was applied by Buffon to a large species of orang outang, which is now ascertained to have been an imaginary animal. It is applied by Cuvier to the largest species of ape known, which inhabits Borneo, and resembles the true orang outang in its general form and erect position, but has the cheek pouches and lengthened muzzle of the baboon. It has also been applied [Ed.Encyc.] to the Simia troglodytes or chimpanzee of Curvier, a native of W. Africa.

Poniard

PONIARD, noun pon'yard. [Latin pugnus.] A small dagger; a pointed instrument for stabbing, borne in the hand or at the girdle, or in the pocket.

PONIARD, verb transitive pon'yard. To pierce with a poniard; to stab.

Ponk

PONK, noun A nocturnal spirit; a hag. [Not in use.]

Pontage

PONT'AGE, noun [Latin pons, pontis, a bridge.]

A duty paid for repairing bridges.

Pontee

PONTEE', noun In glass words, an iron instrument used to stick the glass at the bottom, for the more convenient fashioning the neck of it.

Pontic

PONT'IC, adjective [Latin Pontus, the Euxine sea.]

Pertaining to the Pontus, Euxine, or Black Sea.

Pontif

PONT'IF, noun [Latin pontifex; said to be from pons, a bridge, and facio, to make.] A high priest. The Romans had a college of pontifs; the Jews had their pontifs; and in modern times, the pope is called pontif or sovereign pontif

Pontific

PONTIF'IC, adjective Relating to priests; popish.

Pontifical

PONTIF'ICAL, adjective [Latin pontificalis.] Belonging to a high priest; as pontifical authority; hence, belonging to the pope; popish.

1. Splendid; magnificent.

2. Bridge-building. [Not used.]

PONTIF'ICAL, noun A book containing rites and ceremonies ecclesiastical.

1. The dress and ornaments of a priest or bishop.

Pontificality

PONTIFICAL'ITY, noun The state and government of the pope; the papacy. [Not used.]

Pontifically

PONTIF'ICALLY, adverb In a pontifical manner.

Pontificate

PONTIF'ICATE, noun [Latin pontificatus.] The state or dignity of a high priest; particularly, the office or dignity of the pope.

He turned hermit in the view of being advanced to the pontificate

1. The reign of a pope.

Painting, sculpture and architecture may all recover themselves under the present pontificate

Pontifice

PONT'IFICE, noun Bridge-work; structure or edifice of a bridge. [Little used.]

Pontificial

PONTIFI'CIAL, adjective Popish.

Pontifician

PONTIFI'CIAN, adjective Popish; papistical.

PONTIFI'CIAN, noun One that adheres to the pope; a papist.

Pontine

PON'TINE

PONT'LEVIS, noun In horsemanship, a disorderly resisting of a horse by rearing repeatedly on his hind legs, so as to be in danger of coming over.

Pontoon

PONTOON', noun [Latin pons, a bridge, probably from the root of pono, to lay.]

1. A flat-bottomed boat, whose frame of wood is covered and lined with tin, or covered with copper; used in forming bridges over rivers for armies.

2. A lighter; a low flat vessel resembling a barge, furnished with cranes, capstans and other machinery; used in careening ships, chiefly in the Mediterranean.

PONTOON-bridge, is a bridge formed with pontoons, anchored or made fast in two lines, about five feet asunder.

PONTOON-Carriage, is made with two wheels only, and two long side pieces, whose fore ends are supported by timbers.

Pony

PO'NY, noun A small horse.

Pood

POOD, noun A Russian weight, equal to 40 Russian or 36 English pounds.

Pool

POOL, noun [Latin palus; Gr. probably from setting, standing, like Latin stagnum, or from issuing, as a spring.]

A small collection of water in a hollow place, supplied by a spring, and discharging its surplus water by an outlet. It is smaller than a lake, and in New England is never confounded with pond or lake. It signifies with us, a spring with a small basin or reservoir on the surface of the earth. It is used by writers with more latitude, and sometimes signifies a body of stagnant water.

POOL

Poop

POOP, noun [Latin puppis; probably a projection.]

The highest and aftmost part of a ship's desk.

POOP, verb transitive To strike upon the stern, as a heavy sea.

1. To strike the stern, as one vessel that runs her stem against another's stern.

Pooping

POOP'ING, noun The shock of a heavy sea on the stern or quarter of a ship, when scudding in a tempest; also, the action of one ship's running her stem against another's stern.

Poor

POOR, adjective [Latin pauper.]

1. Wholly destitute of property, or not having property sufficient for a comfortable subsistence; needy. It is often synonymous with indigent, and with necessitous, denoting extreme want; it is also applied to persons who are not entirely destitute of property, but are not rich; as a poor man or woman; poor people

2. In law, so destitute of property as to be entitled to maintenance from the public.

3. Destitute of strength, beauty or dignity; barren; mean; jejune; as a poor composition; a poor essay; a poor discourse.

4. Destitute of value, worth or importance; of little use; trifling.

That I have wronged no man, will be a poor plea or apology at the last day.

5. Paltry; mean; of little value; as a poor coat; a poor house.

6. Destitute of fertility; barren; exhausted; as poor land. The ground is become poor

7. Of little worth; unimportant; as in my poor opinion.

8. Unhappy; pitiable.

Vex'd sailors curse the rain

For which poor shepherds pray'd in vain.

9. Mean; depressed; low; dejected; destitute of spirit.

A soothsayer made Antonius believe that his genius, which was otherwise brave, was, in the presence of Octavianus, poor and cowardly.

10. Lean; emaciated; as a poor horse. The ox is poor

11. Small, or of a bad quality; as a poor crop; a poor harvest.

12. Uncomfortable; restless; ill. The patient has had a poor night.

13. Destitute of saving grace. .

14. In general, wanting good qualities, or the qualities which render a thing valuable, excellent, proper, or sufficient for its purpose; as a poor pen; a poor ship; a poor carriage; poor fruit; poor bread; poor wine, etc.

15. A word of tenderness or pity; dear.

POOR, little, pretty, fluttering thing.

16. A word of slight contempt; wretched.

The poor monk never saw many of the decrees and councils he had occasion to use.

17. The poor collectively, used as a noun; those who are destitute of property; the indigent; the needy; in a legal sense, those who depend on charity or maintenance by the public.

I have observed the more public provisions are made for the poor the less they provide for themselves.

POOR in spirit, in a Scriptural sense, humble; contrite; abased in one's own sight by a sense of guilt. .

Poor-Spirited

POOR-SPIR'ITED, adjective Of a mean spirit; cowardly; base.

Poor-Spiritedness

POOR-SPIR'ITEDNESS, noun Meanness or baseness of spirit; cowardice.

Poorjohn

POOR'JOHN, noun A sort of fish [callarius] of the genus Gadus.

Poorly

POOR'LY, adverb Without wealth; in indigence or want of the conveniences and comforts of life; as, to live poorly

1. With little or no success; with little growth, profit or advantage; as, wheat grows poorly on the Atlantic borders of New England; these men have succeeded poorly in business.

2. Meanly; without spirit.

Nor is their courage or their wealth so low,

That from his wars they poorly would retire.

3. Without excellence or dignity. He performs poorly in elevated characters.

POOR'LY, adjective Somewhat ill; indisposed; not in health; a common use of the word in America.

For three or four weeks past I have lost ground, having been poorly in health.

Poorness

POOR'NESS, noun Destitution of property; indigence; poverty; want; as the poorness of the exchequer.

No less I hate him than the gates of hell,

That poorness can force an untruth to tell.

[In this sense, we generally use poverty.]

1. Meanness; lowness; want of dignity; as the poorness of language.

2. Want of spirit; as poorness and degeneracy of spirit.

3. Barrenness; sterility; as the poorness of land or soil.

4. Unproductiveness; want of the metallic substance; as the poorness of ore.

5. Smallness or bad quality; as the poorness of crops or of grain.

6. Want of value or importance; as the poorness of a plea.

7. Want of good qualities, or the proper qualities which constitute a thing good in its kind; as the poorness of a ship or of cloth.

8. Narrowness; barrenness; want of capacity.

Poorness of spirit, in a theological sense, true humility or contrition of heart on account of sin.

Pop

POP, noun A small smart quick sound or report.

POP, verb intransitive To enter or issue forth with a quick, sudden motion.

I startled at his popping upon me unexpectedly.

1. To dart; to start from place to place suddenly.

POP, verb transitive To thrust or push suddenly with a quick motion.

He popp'd a paper into his hand.

Did'st thou never pop

Thy head into a tinman's shop?

To pop off, to thrust away; to shift off.

POP, adverb Suddenly; with sudden entrance or appearance.

Pope

POPE, noun [Low Latin papa.]

1. The bishop of Rome, the head of the catholic church.

2. A small fish, called also a ruff.

Pope-Joan

PO'PE-JOAN, noun A game of cards.

Pope-S-Eye

PO'PE-S-EYE, noun [pope and eye.] The gland surrounded with fat in the middle of the thigh.

Popedom

PO'PEDOM, noun The place, office or dignity of the pope; papal dignity.

1. The jurisdiction of the pope.

Popeling

PO'PELING, noun An adherent of the pope.

Popery

PO'PERY, noun The religion of the church of Rome, comprehending doctrines and practices.

Popgun

POP'GUN, noun A small gun or tube used by children to shoot wads and make a noise.

Popinjay

POP'INJAY, noun

1. A parrot.

2. A woodpecker, a bird with a gay head.

The green woodpecker, with a scarlet crown, a native of Europe.

3. A gay, trifling young man; a fop or coxcomb.

Popish

PO'PISH, adjective Relating to the pope; taught by the pope; pertaining to the pope or to the church of Rome; as popish tenets or ceremonies.

Popishly

PO'PISHLY, adverb In a popish manner; with a tendency to popery; as, to be popishly affected or inclined.

Poplar

POP'LAR, noun [Latin populus.] A tree of the genus Populus, of several species, as the abele, the white poplar the black poplar the aspen-tree, etc. It is numbered among the aquatic trees.

Poplin

POP'LIN, noun A stuff made of silk and worsted.

Popliteal

POPLIT'EAL

POPLIT'IC, adjective [from Latin poples, the ham.]

Pertaining to the ham or knee joint.

Poppet

POPPET. [See Puppet.]

Poppy

POP'PY, noun [Latin papaver.] A plant of the genus Papaver, of several species, from one of which, the somniferum or white poppy is collected opium. This is the milky juice of the capsule when half grown, which exudes from incisions in the cortical part of the capsule, is scraped off, and worked in an iron pot in the sun's heat, till it is of a consistence to form cakes.

Populace

POP'ULACE, noun [Latin populus. See People.] The common people; the vulgar; the multitude, comprehending all persons not distinguished by rank, education, office, profession or erudition.

Populacy

POP'ULACY, noun The populace or common people.

Popularity

POPULAR'ITY, noun [Latin popularitas.] Favor of the people; the state of possessing the affections and confidence of the people in general; as the popularity of the ministry; the popularity of a public officer or of a preacher. It is applied also to things; as the popularity of a law or public measure; the popularity of a book or poem. The most valuable trait in a patriot's character is to forbear all improper compliances for gaining popularity

I have long since learned the little value which is to be placed in popularity acquired by any other way than virtue; I have also learned that it is often obtained by other means.

The man whose ruling principle is duty--is never perplexed with anxious corroding calculations of interest and popularity

1. Representation suited to vulgar or common conception; that which is intended or adapted to procure the favor of the people. [Little used.]

Popularize

POP'ULARIZE, verb transitive To make popular or common; to spread among the people; as, to popularize philosophy or physics; to popularize a knowledge of chimical principles.

Popularized

POP'ULARIZED, participle passive Made popular, or introduced among the people.

Popularizing

POP'ULARIZING, participle present tense Making popular, or introducing among the people.

Popularly

POP'ULARLY, adverb In a popular manner; so as to please the populace.

The victor knight,

Bareheadaed, popularly low had bow'd.

1. According to the conceptions of the common people.

Populate

POP'ULATE, verb intransitive [Latin populus.] To breed people; to propagate.

When there be great shoals of people which go on to populate

POP'ULATE, verb transitive To people; to furnish with inhabitants, either by natural increase, or by immigration or colonization.

POPULATE, for populous, is not now in use.

Populated

POP'ULATED, participle passive Furnished with inhabitants; peopled.

Populating

POP'ULATING, participle present tense Peopling.

Population

POPULA'TION, noun The act or operation of peopling or furnishing with inhabitants; multiplication of inhabitants. The value of our western lands is annually enhanced by population

1. The whole number of people or inhabitants in a country. The population of England is estimated at ten millions of souls; that of the United States in 1823, was ten millions.

A country may have a great population and yet not be populous.

2. The state of a country with regard to its number of inhabitants, or rather with regard to its numbers compared with their expenses, consumption of goods and productions, and earnings.

Neither is the population to be reckoned only by number; for a smaller number that spend more and earn less, do wear out an estate sooner than a greater number that live lower and gather more.

Populosity

POPULOS'ITY, noun Populousness. [Not used.]

Populous

POP'ULOUS, adjective [Latin populosus.] Full of inhabitants; containing many inhabitants in proportion to the extent of the country. A territory containing fifteen or twenty inhabitants to a square mile is not a populous country. The Netherlands, and some parts of Italy, containing a hundred and fifty inhabitants to a square mile, are deemed populous

Populously

POP'ULOUSLY, adverb With many inhabitants in proportion to the extent of country.

Populousness

POP'ULOUSNESS, noun The state of having many inhabitants in proportion to the extent of country.

By populousness in contradistinction to population, is understood the proportion the number bears to the surface of the ground they live on.

Porcated

POR'CATED, adjective [Latin porca, a ridge.] Ridged; formed in ridges.

Porcelain

POR'CELAIN, noun [Latin portulaca.]

1. The finest species of earthen ware, originally manufactured in China and Japan, but now made in several European countries. All earthen wares which are white and semi-transparent, are called porcelains, but they differ much in their fineness and beauty. The porcelain of China is said to be made of two species of earth, the petuntse, which is fusible, and the kaolin, which is not fusible, or not with the degree of heat which fuses the petuntse, and that in porcelain the substances are only semi-vitrified, or one substance only is vitrified, the other not. Hence it is concluded that porcelain is an intermediate substance between earth and glass. Hence the second degree of fusibility, of which emollescence is the first, is called by Kirwan the porcelain state.

2. The plant called purslain, which see.

Porcellaneous

PORCELLA'NEOUS, adjective [from porcelain.] Pertaining to or resembling porcelain; as porcellaneous shells.

Porcellanite

POR'CELLANITE, noun A silicious mineral, a species of jasper, of various colors. It seems to be formed accidentally in coal mines which have indurated and semi-vitrified beds of coal-shale or slate-clay. It is sometimes marked with vegetable impressions of a brick red color.

Porch

PORCH, noun [Latin porticus, from porta, a gate, entrance or passage, or from portus, a shelter.]

1. In architecture, a kind of vestibule supported by columns at the entrance of temples, halls, churches or other buildings.

2. A portico; a covered walk.

3. By way of distinction, the porch was a public portico in Athens, where Zeno, the philosopher, taught his disciples. It was called the painted porch from the pictures of Polygnotus and other eminent painters, with which it was adorned. Hence, the porch is equivalent to the school of the Stoics.

Porcine

POR'CINE, adjective [Latin porcinus, from porcus. See Pork.]

Pertaining to swine; as the porcine species of animals.

Porcupine

POR'CUPINE, noun [Latin porcus; spina, a spine or thorn.]

In zoology, a quadruped of the genus Hystrix. The crested porcupine has a body about two feet in length, four toes on each of the fore feet, and five on each of the hind feet, a crested head, a short tail, and the upper lip divided like that of the hare. The body is covered with prickles which are very sharp, and some of them nine or ten inches long; these he can erect at pleasure. When attacked, he rolls his body into a round form, in which position the prickles are presented in every direction to the enemy. This species is a native of Africa and Asia.

Porcupine-Fish

POR'CUPINE-FISH, noun A fish which is covered with spines or prickles. It is of the diodon kind, and about fourteen inches in length.

Pore

PORE, noun [Gr. to go, to pass.; Eng. to fare. See Fare.]

1. In anatomy, a minute interstice in the skin of an animal, through which the perspirable matter passes to the surface or is excreted.

2. A small spiracle, opening or passage in other substances; as the pores of plants or of stones.

PORE, verb intransitive [Gr. to inspect.] To look with steady continued attention or application. To pore on, is to read or examine with steady perseverance, to dwell on; and the word seems to be limited in its application to the slow patient reading or examination of books, or something written or engraved.

Painfully to pore upon a book.

With sharpened sight pale antiquaries pore

Pore-Blind

PO'RE-BLIND

PUR'BLIND, noun Near-sighted; short-sighted.

Porer

PO'RER, noun One who pores or studies diligently.

Porgy

POR'GY, noun A fish of the gilt-head kind.

Poriness

PO'RINESS, noun [from pory.]

The state of being pory or having numerous pores.

Porism

PO'RISM, noun [Gr. acquisition, to gain, a passing, to pass.]

In geometry, a name given by ancient geometers to two classes of propositions. Euclid gave this name to propositions involved in others which he was investigating, and obtained without a direct view to their discovery. These he called acquisitions, but such propositions are now called corollaries. A porism is defined, 'a proposition affirming the possibility of finding such conditions as will render a certain problem indeterminate or capable of innumerable solutions.' It is not a theorem, nor a problem, or rather it includes both. It asserts that a certain problem may become indeterminate, and so far it partakes of the nature of a theorem, and in seeking to discover the conditions by which this may be effected, it partakes of the nature of a problem.

Poristic

PORIS'TIC

PORIS'TICAL, adjective Pertaining to a porism; seeking to determine by what means and in how many ways a problem may be solved.

Poristical

PORIS'TICAL, a. Pertaining to a porism; seeking to determine by what means and in how many ways a problem may be solved.

Porite

PO'RITE, noun plural porites. A petrified madrepore.

Pork

PORK, noun [Latin porcus, a hog or pig; porca, a ridge; or from his snout and rooting.] The flesh of swine, fresh or salted, used for food.

Porkeater

PORK'EATER, noun One that feeds on swine's flesh.

Porker

PORKER, noun A hog; a pig. [Not used in America.]

Porket

PORKET, noun A young hog.

Porkling

PORKLING, noun A pig.

Porosity

POROS'ITY, noun [from porous.] The quality or state of having pores or interstices.

Porous

PO'ROUS, adjective [from pore.] Having interstices in the skin or substance of the body; having spiracles or passages for fluids; as a porous skin; porous wood; porous earth.

Porousness

PO'ROUSNESS, noun The quality of having pores, porosity; as the porousness of the skin of an animal, or of wood, or of fossils.

1. The porous parts. [Not authorized.]

Porpess

POR'PESS, noun In zoology, a cetaceous fish of the genus Delphinus, whose back is usually blackish or brown, whence it is called in Dutch, bruinvisch, brown fish; the body is thick towards the head, but more slender towards the tail, which is semi-lunar. This fish preys on other fish, and seeks food not only by swimming, but by rooting like a hog in the sand and mud, whence some persons suppose the name has been given to it.

Of cetaceous fish, we met with porpesses, or as some sailors call them, sea-hogs.

Porphyraceous

PORPHYRA'CEOUS, adjective [See Porphyry.] Pertaining to porphyry; resembling porphyry.

1. Containing or composed of porphyry; as porphyraceous mountains.

Porphyritic

PORPHYRIT'IC

POR'PHYRIZE, verb transitive To cause to resemble porphyry; to make spotted in its composition.

Porphyrize

POR'PHYRIZE, v.t. To cause to resemble porphyry; to make spotted in its composition.

Porphyry

POR'PHYRY, noun [Gr. purple; Latin porphyrites.] A mineral consisting of a homogeneous ground with crystals of some other mineral imbedded, giving to the mass a speckled complexion. One variety of Egyptian porphyry has a purple ground, whence the name of the species; but the homogeneous ground with imbedded crystals, being all that is essential to porphyry its composition and colors are consequently various.

Porphyry is very hard, and susceptible of a fine polish.

Porphyry is composed of paste in which are disseminated a multitude of little angular and granuliform parts, of a color different from the ground.

Porphyry-Shell

PORPHYRY-SHELL, noun An animal or shell of the genus Murex. It is of the snail kind, the shell consisting of one spiral valve. From one species of this genus was formerly obtained a liquor that produced the Tyrian purple.

Porpite

POR'PITE

POR'PITES, noun The hair-button-stone, a small species of fossil coral of a roundish figure, flattened and striated from the center to the circumference; found immersed in stone.

Porpites

POR'PITES, n. The hair-button-stone, a small species of fossil coral of a roundish figure, flattened and striated from the center to the circumference; found immersed in stone.

Porraceous

PORRA'CEOUS, adjective [Latin porraceus, from porrum, a leek or onion.]

Greenish; resembling the leek in color.

Porrection

PORREC'TION, noun [Latin porrectio, porrigo; per or por; Eng. for, fore, and rego; to reach.] The act of stretching forth. [Not used.]

Porret

POR'RET, noun [Latin porrum.] A scallion; a leek or small onion.

Porridge

POR'RIDGE, noun [Latin farrago, or from porrum, a leek.]

A kind of food made by boiling meat in water; broth.

This mixture is usually called in America, broth or soup, but not porridge With us, porridge is a mixture of meal or flour, boiled with water. Perhaps this distinction is not always observed.

Porridge-Pot

POR'RIDGE-POT, noun The pot in which flesh, or flesh and vegetables are boiled for food.

Porringer

POR'RINGER, noun

1. A small metal vessel in which children eat porridge or milk, or used in the nursery for warming liquors.

2. A head-dress in the shape of a porringer; in contempt.

Port

PORT, noun [Latin portus, porto, to carry; Latin fero; Eng. to bear.]

1. A harbor; a haven; any bay, cove, inlet or recess of the sea or of a lake or the mouth of a river, which ships or vessels can enter, and where they can lie safe from injury by storms. Ports may be natural or artificial, and sometimes works of art, as piers and moles, are added to the natural shores of a place to render a harbor more safe. The word port is generally applied to spacious harbors much resorted to be ships, as the port of London or of Boston, and not to small bays or coves which are entered occasionally, or in stress of weather only. Harbor includes all places of safety for shipping.

2. A gate. [Latin porta.]

From their ivory port the cherubim

Forth issued.

3. An embrasure or opening in the side of a ship of war, through which cannon are discharged; a port-hole.

4. The lid which shuts a port-hole.

5. Carriage; air; mien; manner of movement or walk; demeanor; external appearance; as a proud port; the port of a gentleman.

Their port was more than human.

With more terrific port

Thou walkest.

6. In seamen's language, the larboard or left side of a ship; as in the phrase, 'the ship heels to port ' 'Port the helm, ' is an order to put the helm to the larboard side.

7. A kind of wine made in Portugal; so called from Oporto.

of the voice, in music, the faculty or habit of making the shakes, passages and diminutions, in which the beauty of a song consists.

PORT, verb transitive To carry in form; as ported spears.

1. To turn or put to the left or larboard side of a ship. See the noun, No.6. It is used in the imperative.

Port-Bar

PORT-BAR, noun A bar to secure the ports of a ship in a gale of wind.

Port-charges, in commerce, charges to which a ship or its cargo is subjected in a harbor, as wharfage, etc.

Port-Crayon

PORT-CRAYON, noun A pencil-case.

Port-Fire

PORT-FIRE, noun A composition for setting fire to powder, etc. frequently used in preference to a match. It is wet or dry. The wet is composed of saltpeter, four parts, of sulphur one, and of mealed powder four; mixed and sifted, moistened with a little lintseed oil, and well rubbed. The dry is composed of saltpeter, four parts, sulphur one, mealed powder two, and antimony one. These compositions are driven into small papers for use.

Port-Hole

PORT-HOLE, noun [port and hole.]

The embrasure of a ship of war. [See Port.]

Port-Man

PORT-MAN, noun [port and man.] An inhabitant or burgess, as of a cinque port.

Port-Mote

PORT-MOTE, noun Anciently, a court held in a port town.

PORTOISE. [See Portlast.]

Port-Rope

PORT-ROPE, noun A rope to draw up a portlid.

Noah Webster, An American Dictionary of the English Language (1828); edition by akaitsurugi (github.com/akaitsurugi/webster1828). Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Text from the CrossWire Bible Society.